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the stones were still there； and after the first； some sort of animal track that meandered from one stone to the next。 it was cool under the pines； but pleasant； the constant presence of the charter stones a reassuring sensation to sabriel and touchstone； who could sense them like lighthouses in a sea of trees。
there were seven stones in all； and none of them broken； though sabriel felt a stab of nervous tension every time they left the ambience of one and moved to another； a stark picture always flashing into her head鈥攖he bloodstained； riven stone of cloven crest。
the last stone stood on the very edge of the pine forest； atop a granite bluff thirty or forty yards high； marking the forest鈥檚 eastern edge and the end of high ground。
they stood next to the stone and looked out； out towards the huge expanse of blue…grey sea； white…crested； restless； always rolling in to shore。
below them were the flat； sunken fields of nestowe； maintained by a network of raised canals； pumps and dykes。 the village itself lay three…quarters of a mile away； high on another granite bluff； the harbor out of sight on the other side。
鈥渢he fields are flooded；鈥潯aid touchstone； in a puzzled tone； as if he couldn鈥檛 believe what he was seeing。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw that what she had taken for some crop was actually silt and water； sitting tepidly where food once grew。
windmills； power for the pumps； stood silent； trefoil…shaped vanes still atop scaffolding towers； even though a salt…laden breeze blew in from the sea。
鈥渂ut the pumps were charter…spelled；鈥�
touchstone exclaimed。 鈥渢o follow the wind； to work without care 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢here are no people in the fields鈥攏o one on this side of the village；鈥潯ogget added； his eyes keener than the telescope in sabriel鈥檚 pack。
鈥渘estowe鈥檚 charter stone must be broken；鈥�
sabriel said； mouth tight； words cold。 鈥渁nd i can smell a certain stench on the breeze。 there are dead in the village。鈥�
鈥渁 boat would be the quickest way to belisaere； and i am reasonably confident of my sailing；鈥潯ouchstone remarked。 鈥渂ut if the dead are there； shouldn鈥檛 we 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渨e鈥檒l go down and get a boat；鈥潯abriel announced firmly。 鈥渨hile the sun is high。鈥�
xiaoshuot锛竧锛宑o锛�
chapter xvi
灏彛¤！txt！澶ｅ爞
there was a built…up path through the flooded fields； but it was submerged to ankle…depth； with occasional thigh…high slippages。
only the raised canal drains stood well above the brackish water； and they all ran towards the east； not towards the village； so sabriel and touchstone were forced to wade along the path。 mogget； of course； rode； his lean form draped around sabriel鈥檚 neck like a white fox fur。
water and mud； coupled with an uncertain path； made it slow going。 it took an hour to cover less than a mile； so it was later in the afternoon than sabriel would have wished when they finally climbed out of the water； up onto the beginnings of the village鈥檚 rocky mount。 at least the sky is clear； sabriel thought； glancing up。 the winter sun wasn鈥檛 particularly hot and couldn鈥檛 be described as glaring； but it would certainly deter most kindred of the lesser dead from venturing out。
nevertheless； they walked carefully up to the village； swords loose； sabriel with a hand to her bells。 the path wound up in a series of steps carved from the rock； reinforced here and there with bricks and mortar。 the village proper nestled on top of the bluff鈥攁bout thirty cozy brick cottages； with wood…tile roofs； some painted bright colors； some dull； and some simply grey and weatherbeaten。
it was pletely silent； save for the odd gust of wind； or the mournful cry of a gull； slipping down through the air above。 sabriel and touchstone drew closer together； walking almost shoulder…to…shoulder up what passed for a main street； swords out now； eyes flickering across closed doors and shuttered windows。
both felt uneasy； nervous鈥攁 nasty； tingling； creeping sensation climbing up from spine； to nape of neck； to forehead charter mark。
sabriel also felt the presence of dead things。
lesser dead； hiding from sunlight； lurking somewhere nearby； in house or cellar。
at the end of the main street； on the highest point of the bluff； a charter stone stood on a patch of carefully tended lawn。 half of the stone had been sheared away； pieces broken and tumbled； dark stone on green turf。 a body lay in front of the stone； hands and feet bound； the gaping cut across the throat a clear sign of where the blood had e from鈥攖he blood for the sacrifice that broke the stone。
sabriel knelt by the corpse； eyes averted from the broken stone。 it was only recently ruined； she felt； but already the door to death was creaking open。 she could almost feel the cold of the currents beyond； leaking out around the stone； sucking warmth and life from the air。
things lurked there too； she knew； just beyond the border。 she sensed their hunger for life； their impatience for night to fall。
as she expected； the corpse was of a charter mage； dead but three or four days。 but she hadn鈥檛 expected to find the dead person was a woman。
wide shoulders and a muscular build had deceived her for a moment； but there was a middleaged woman before her； eyes shut； throat cut； short brown hair caked with sea salt and blood。
鈥渢he village healer；鈥潯aid mogget； indicating a bracelet on her wrist with his nose。 sabriel pushed the rope bindings aside for a better look。 the bracelet was bronze with inlaid charter marks of greenstone。 dead marks now； for blood dried upon the bronze； and no pulse beat in the skin under the metal。
鈥渟he was killed three or four days ago；鈥�
sabriel announced。 鈥渢he stone was broken at the same time。鈥�
touchstone looked back at her and nodded grimly； then resumed watching the houses opposite。 his swords hung loosely in his hands； but sabriel noticed that his entire body was tense； like a pressed jack…in…the…box； ready to spring。
鈥渨hoever 。 。 。 whatever 。 。 。 killed her and broke the stone； didn鈥檛 enslave her spirit；鈥�
sabriel added quietly； as if thinking to herself。
鈥渋 wonder why？鈥�
neither mogget nor touchstone answered。
for a moment； sabriel considered asking the woman herself； but her impetuous desire for journeys into death had been soundly dampened by recent experience。 instead； she cut the woman鈥檚 bonds； and arranged her as best she could； ending up with a sort of curled…up sleeping position。
鈥渋 don鈥檛 know your name； healer；鈥潯abriel whispered。 鈥渂ut i hope you go quickly beyond the final gate。 farewell。鈥�
she stood back and drew the charter marks for the funeral pyre above the corpse； whispering the names of the marks as she did so鈥攂ut her fingers fumbled and words went awry。 the baleful influence of the broken stone pressed against her； like a wrestler gripping her wrists； clamping her jaw。 sweat beaded on her forehead； and pain shot through her limbs； her hands shaking with effort； tongue clumsy； seeming swollen in her suddenly dry mouth。
then she felt assistance e； strength flowing through her； reinforcing the marks； steadying her hands； clearing her voice。 she pleted the litany； and a spark exploded above the woman； became a twisting flame； then grew to a fierce； white…hot blaze that spread the length of the woman鈥檚 body； totally consuming it； to leave only ash； light cargo for the sea winds。
the extra strength came through touchstone鈥檚 hand； his open palm lightly resting on her shoulder。
as she straightened up； the touch was lost。
when sabriel turned around； touchstone was just drawing his right…hand sword； eyes fixed on the houses鈥攁s if he鈥檇 had nothing to do with helping her。
鈥渢hank you；鈥潯aid sabriel。 touchstone was a strong charter mage； perhaps as strong as she was。 this surprised her； though she couldn鈥檛 think why。 he鈥檇 made no secret of being a charter mage鈥攕he鈥檇 just assumed he would only know a few of the more fighting…related marks and spells。 petty magics。
鈥渨e should move on；鈥潯aid mogget； prowling backwards and forwards in agitation； carefully avoiding the fragments from the broken stone。
鈥渇ind a boat； and put to sea before nightfall。鈥�
鈥渢he harbor is that way；鈥潯ouchstone added quickly； pointing with his sword。 both he and the cat seemed very keen to leave the area around the broken stone； thought sabriel。 but then； so was she。 even in bright daylight； it seemed to dull the color around it。 the lawn was already more yellow than green； and even the shadows looked thicker and more abundant than they should。 she shivered； remembering cloven crest and the thing called thralk。
the harbor lay on the northern side of the bluff； reached by another series of steps in the rocky hill； or in the case of cargo； via one of the shear…legged hoists that lined the edge of the bluff。 long wooden jetties thrust out into the clear blue…green water； sheltered under the lee of a rocky island； a smaller sibling of the village bluff。 a long breakwater of huge boulders joined island and shore； pleting the harbor鈥檚 protection from wind and wave。
there were no boats moored in the harbor； tied up to the jetties； or at the ha